december 2006
from now on you can look at more foto's from 'today' on next link :http://www.flickr.com/photos/doyouwanna-paragliding/
sunday 21st january
Nice and smooth thermals on our southern hill. Although norhtern winds pretty strong up north of Alicante.
Again hours of thermalling for young and old.
And Koen got to Dakar, what a champ.
saturday 20th january
Marginal conditions today. Strong winds on height at Toix, and not too stable conditions at Palomaret. West winds more inland. Rafa, Antolino flew, Pepe acro as well. All at different sites.I had tandems to do. I cancelled them, which is always difficult. But in the end quite happy with my decision, not to bounce around with people, instead of giving them a good dose of our magnicifent sport.Last two days of our ever so long Indian summer, it was 25 degrees celsius today, and blue sky. It all feels weird. Even the most stubborn neighbour is admitting now he hasn't had such a 'winter' in his lifetime. We have those hot days in winter, no doubt. But not like this, having these for weeks and weeks.
Pilots visiting have the time of their life of course. But from monday onwards .... .
Pilots visiting have the time of their life of course. But from monday onwards .... .
friday 19th january
Have you ever walked up a hill with a paraglider on your back for 30 minutes, then doing a top to bottom ? Well, we did ! And it's not the thing you want to do all the time, jesus.
At last I went up to Biscoy, to meet the club of Onil, to go to their weekly meeting at landing field Biscoy. And they always walk up, late afternoon, up the steep hill of Biscoy, matter of keeping up the fitness level I guess. So walked up the steep hill, got out of breath, heart beating fast, and no wind at take off. We knew it was gonna be a top to bottom.Once landed, cheering friends, raising a glass on another accident free top to bottom. Wine was uncorked, cheese and chorizo was served.Although the flying on their weekly meeting wasn't epic, it was something special, mixing with the pilots from the 'north'. For them it is all about 'comradry' (is that english ??).
Fotos, take fron the air, half the group of pilots from the 'north', retro time with this ancient wing in the air, called a "star", born 1988.
At last I went up to Biscoy, to meet the club of Onil, to go to their weekly meeting at landing field Biscoy. And they always walk up, late afternoon, up the steep hill of Biscoy, matter of keeping up the fitness level I guess. So walked up the steep hill, got out of breath, heart beating fast, and no wind at take off. We knew it was gonna be a top to bottom.Once landed, cheering friends, raising a glass on another accident free top to bottom. Wine was uncorked, cheese and chorizo was served.Although the flying on their weekly meeting wasn't epic, it was something special, mixing with the pilots from the 'north'. For them it is all about 'comradry' (is that english ??).
Fotos, take fron the air, half the group of pilots from the 'north', retro time with this ancient wing in the air, called a "star", born 1988.
thursday 18th january
West wind. Dry air, warm air, but not flyable.
Two happy Norwegian bunnies, Jarn and Iver.
Searching for a western low hill. Take off suitable, but landing auch ...
Shot taken near Elche, Castell del Rio
Koen still in the race, sunday arrival in Dakar.
Two happy Norwegian bunnies, Jarn and Iver.
Searching for a western low hill. Take off suitable, but landing auch ...
Shot taken near Elche, Castell del Rio
Koen still in the race, sunday arrival in Dakar.
wednesday 17th january
Lousy day, maybe we are spoiled of course. Some of us toplanded at La Cortina but mainly just bumming out. Early in the afternoon the inversion settled and no more winds. Rafa had a bit of a flight at Toix, but that was it. Jose Luis and Toni at Palomaret, but west.
Maybe best shot would have been Almudaina, norhtwest, but cloudbase so low, doubtful, don't know. Just a lousy day for flying. The weather is too good, inversion, high temperatures, feels lazy.
Koen still on for Dakar. A couple of days ago, he had to beg for some gas, he ran out it said. But here is the real story. His chain broke and got in his back tire, so he fell at 90 km per hour. His tank exploded and he was all covered with petrol. Thank god it didn't catch fire. His lips are fucked by the petrol, his eyes swollen and closed, his faced burned by the petrol. He had to beg to get to the finish, another 21 km. The most he got at one time was a liter and a half. He collected empty plastic bottles, and filled them up with the begged petrol. All bottles in his rucksack. He could start the engine, and reach the finish bit by bit. Each time refilling the remaining useful bit of the tank. He was gonna give up. The last three days he hardly had slept. Doing this all on his own, no assistance, no camper to sleep in at night, no cook, no massage, no nurse.Next day, his steer was shaking that hard, his hands were all cramped, he couldn't stretch his hands any more. he couldn't even use his GPS any more, hurt too much.A Dakar official asked him to see another official right away. He just said 'oui', but he didn't understand what the official just said to him. Koen doesn't speak french, neither english.Luckily half hour later he asked some fellow pilots, what he was being told. He had to see another official right away, or they were gonna take him out of the race.But after some treatment with pills, to get the sickness away of having swallowed petrol, he is still in the race. Sunday he should arrive in Dakar, flying back home to Belgium, to open up his shop.He's my hero.
It's like in our sport, you don't need to be a champion to be a champion.
Koen doesn't speak any french, any english.
tuesday 16th january
Maybe best shot would have been Almudaina, norhtwest, but cloudbase so low, doubtful, don't know. Just a lousy day for flying. The weather is too good, inversion, high temperatures, feels lazy.
Koen still on for Dakar. A couple of days ago, he had to beg for some gas, he ran out it said. But here is the real story. His chain broke and got in his back tire, so he fell at 90 km per hour. His tank exploded and he was all covered with petrol. Thank god it didn't catch fire. His lips are fucked by the petrol, his eyes swollen and closed, his faced burned by the petrol. He had to beg to get to the finish, another 21 km. The most he got at one time was a liter and a half. He collected empty plastic bottles, and filled them up with the begged petrol. All bottles in his rucksack. He could start the engine, and reach the finish bit by bit. Each time refilling the remaining useful bit of the tank. He was gonna give up. The last three days he hardly had slept. Doing this all on his own, no assistance, no camper to sleep in at night, no cook, no massage, no nurse.Next day, his steer was shaking that hard, his hands were all cramped, he couldn't stretch his hands any more. he couldn't even use his GPS any more, hurt too much.A Dakar official asked him to see another official right away. He just said 'oui', but he didn't understand what the official just said to him. Koen doesn't speak french, neither english.Luckily half hour later he asked some fellow pilots, what he was being told. He had to see another official right away, or they were gonna take him out of the race.But after some treatment with pills, to get the sickness away of having swallowed petrol, he is still in the race. Sunday he should arrive in Dakar, flying back home to Belgium, to open up his shop.He's my hero.
It's like in our sport, you don't need to be a champion to be a champion.
Koen doesn't speak any french, any english.
tuesday 16th january
Text messaging my friends not to come down to Peña Rubia, winds too weak, it maybe won't be thermic. Gosh, I was wrong. At this northwestern site, it works usually later in the afternoon. Counted on that, but didn't expect it to be so so good. The only reassuring bit was the call from Pepe, down there nearer to the coast he have gusts from the north, pretty weird. Hm, interesting. Meanwhile some cumulus were forming in front of take off, moving towards us.
At 4pm, Jarn took off and it was clear, Peña Rubia was gonna deliver a lovely afternoon of flying.
Look at the pictures that Jose Luis Segorb, Mustang Airwave, took. Over two hours of thermal dynamic conditiones up to cloudbase 1350 ASL, which is appr. 450 m climb from take off.
monday 15th january
Feet up today. Very cloudy, no sun, high pressure, no wind. Siesta. Forget it.Norwegian woke me up, they soared for almost 2 hours at the cliffs of Santa Pola late afternoon. Never call it a day in Alicante, better to be on the outlook all the time.
Niviuk dancing
At 4pm, Jarn took off and it was clear, Peña Rubia was gonna deliver a lovely afternoon of flying.
Look at the pictures that Jose Luis Segorb, Mustang Airwave, took. Over two hours of thermal dynamic conditiones up to cloudbase 1350 ASL, which is appr. 450 m climb from take off.
monday 15th january
Feet up today. Very cloudy, no sun, high pressure, no wind. Siesta. Forget it.Norwegian woke me up, they soared for almost 2 hours at the cliffs of Santa Pola late afternoon. Never call it a day in Alicante, better to be on the outlook all the time.
Niviuk dancing
sunday 14th january
High pressure, foggy at the coast, day one of norhteasternwinds coming in, after a whole week of valley breezes. Could these cold northeastern winds work again, give us the cold air we need to break through the inversion, more inland than Palomaret ? Just like other times before ?
Yes it worked again. Iver (yes, it is his name), Kath, Tim, Phil, Kenny (XC small but XC to the valley of Villena), Jarl and our local buddies from Onil flew at Reconco today. Some of them got through the inversion and climbed up to 1560 m ASL, which means almost 500 m above take off, thermals max 4 m/s.
On our drive towards the hill, we got to clearer air as soon as we passed Maigmo, promising. Near the landing field, already winds from the east, we had activity.When we arrived, Mary Luz had some little thermal activity already at noon. So we prepared for take off. Our skygod Evil from Norway showed us the way. Amazing how he climbed with his UP Summit 3.
Soon after him, Kath with her new Niviuk Hook XS found a new route towards the inversion. Kenny, Phil, and Tim followed. Locals arrived and were pretty amazed about the conditions. Again Reconco was surprising.
Thanks Juan Pedro and others to let us fly at your hill. You'll see us back, and definetely for XC try outs in early spring.
It is 7 pm now, an hour ago, 6 pm, my friend Koen Verburg ran out of fuel in the DAKAR race, 21 km before refueling point, he is hoping for solidarity of other bikers, cars. Fingers crossed. 8 pm : Somebody must have given him fuel. He is racing to finish in time, be careful Koen, he is racing on camel-grass. Camel-grass can be hard as a rock.I know this has nothing to do with paragliding, but Koen is really a good friend.And life is exciting !11 pm : according to the tracking, Koen arrived in bivouac, sleep tight
High pressure, foggy at the coast, day one of norhteasternwinds coming in, after a whole week of valley breezes. Could these cold northeastern winds work again, give us the cold air we need to break through the inversion, more inland than Palomaret ? Just like other times before ?
Yes it worked again. Iver (yes, it is his name), Kath, Tim, Phil, Kenny (XC small but XC to the valley of Villena), Jarl and our local buddies from Onil flew at Reconco today. Some of them got through the inversion and climbed up to 1560 m ASL, which means almost 500 m above take off, thermals max 4 m/s.
On our drive towards the hill, we got to clearer air as soon as we passed Maigmo, promising. Near the landing field, already winds from the east, we had activity.When we arrived, Mary Luz had some little thermal activity already at noon. So we prepared for take off. Our skygod Evil from Norway showed us the way. Amazing how he climbed with his UP Summit 3.
Soon after him, Kath with her new Niviuk Hook XS found a new route towards the inversion. Kenny, Phil, and Tim followed. Locals arrived and were pretty amazed about the conditions. Again Reconco was surprising.
Thanks Juan Pedro and others to let us fly at your hill. You'll see us back, and definetely for XC try outs in early spring.
It is 7 pm now, an hour ago, 6 pm, my friend Koen Verburg ran out of fuel in the DAKAR race, 21 km before refueling point, he is hoping for solidarity of other bikers, cars. Fingers crossed. 8 pm : Somebody must have given him fuel. He is racing to finish in time, be careful Koen, he is racing on camel-grass. Camel-grass can be hard as a rock.I know this has nothing to do with paragliding, but Koen is really a good friend.And life is exciting !11 pm : according to the tracking, Koen arrived in bivouac, sleep tight
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